Building construction



A. F.y BEMIS BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Feb. 28, 1933.

Filed Dec. 16 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 L er Feb. 28, 1933. A. F. BEMls 1,899,454

BUILDINGVCONSTRUCTION v Filed Dec. 16, 1929 3 sheets-sheet 2 Feb. 28, 1933.` A F, BEMls '1,899,454

BUILDING CON STRUCTION- Filed Dec. 16, 1929 :s sheets-sheet 3 ya i .90

Patented Feb. 28, 1933 UNITED. s'm'ri-:sx

PATEN'EW QF F IC Fvfri.-

ALBERT F. BEMIS, 0F .NEWTONQ MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNQR T0 BlEi'liilIS` INDUSTRIES, INCORPGBATED, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, 1A CORPORATIN 0F DELAWARE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Application led December 16, 1929. Serial No. 414,350.

ments such as studs and `preferably being` keyed thereto by poured cementitious material. In some respects the present invention is an improvement upon the type of building construction disclosed and described in my copending application, Serial No. 266,955, filed April 3, 1928.

In accordance with the present invention, preformed trame members may be manufactured in a range of standardized izes in a suitable manufacturing establishment and maybe assembled in situ to comply with substantially any building design or room layout. The principles of the invention set forth in my application No. 280,226, filed May 24, 1928 facilitate this employmentof preformed members. This invention affords horizontal frame members such as sills and girts, which are readily connected to posts, while the secondary frame elements such as studs and joists may be secured in place by connecting elements located at determined distances from each other upon the sills-or girts'or, if desired, intermediate gir-ders maybe supported by the girts and similarly employed to support joists and studs. The studs preferably are provided With groove-like portions into which the edges of intermediate sealing or insulating slabs may be inserted. Preferably, the studs are provided with vertically disposed recesses which are'adapted to receive poured cementitious material such as concrete and are arranged to permit this material to flow into grooves and/or recesses provided at the edges of thesealing slabs. v Thus the studs may be individually reinforced with cementi tions material and the latter aids in holding the wall slabs firmly in place. Furthermore the poured cementitious material cooperates with the slabs in providing a substantially continuous layer of protective material which preferably may be fireproof or {ire-resistant.

Preferably the posts are arranged to receive the adjoining edges of the wall slabs and cooperate with the preferred arrangement of the studs. The girts may be arranged to per- ,mitvthe ready pouring of cementitious material so that they are reinforced with said material, and so that the latter is permitted to flow into the vertical recesses aEorded by the studs and into grooves at the horizontal edges of the wall slabs or panels. The studs may be provided with nailing strips which deine the sides of the wall and which permit the ,60

attachment of outer panels of any suitable material to the building frame; for example, e such panels may comprise metal lathing ls hkeets, wooden paneling, wallboard or the The frame members may be preformed of relatively thin sheet metal and assembled in situ with great Afacility,-the poured cementitious material serving to reinforce these frame members and render the same substantially rigid while materially enhancing their structural .strength and aiding the lire-resistant qualities of the structure. Furthermore this arrangement cooperates with the wall panels. or slabs in affording an intermediate layer of protective or `lire-resistant material, while vthe anels themselves may aiord an intermediate heat and sound insulatinglayer which is spaced from the face panels or outer layers of the building material at each side of the wall, thus affording inner and outer dead air pockets which are separated by a layer of heat .and/or sound insulating material.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a broken perspective view of a p0rtion of a building wall and related parts;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of a post and the connections between the same and a horizontal frame member such as a girt; f

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of an end portion of a girder and 'connecting brackets secured thereto;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a bracket for connecting a joist to a girt or sill;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a bracket for connecting a girder to a girt;

Fig. 6 is a broken horizontal section of a portion of a wall constructed in accordanceV with this invention; 100

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a typical wall slab or panel with a portion of a marginal frame broken away for clarity of illustration;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one end of a stud;

Fig. 9 is a broken perspective view of a connecting plate and bracket showing the assembled relation of these parts as they are employed to connect a horizontal frame member to a po'st`;

Fig. 10 is an elevational view of a bracket of thecharacter illustrated in Fig. 9; and

Fig. 11 is a broken isometric view showing the arrangement of a frame member and upper portion of a panel with poured con-y crete affording an interlocking connection therebetween.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

lthe numeral 1 designates the posts which preferably are equilateral in cross section and as shown @in Figs. 2 and 6 comprisefour sheet metal channels with their bight portions arranged to define apsquare 3 and with their legs 4 disposed at an angle of substantially 135 to their bight portions and in abutting engagement with each other. Preferably these channel legs are secured to each other by welding or the like to provide each post with flanges 6, which are provided with openings 8 that are spaced at suitable modular distances from each other.

Brackets 10 (Fig. 10) may be employed to secure the horizontal frame members such as sills or girts 12 to the posts. Preferably these brackets comprise strap metal side portions 15 that are disposed in intersecting planes at an angle of 90 to each other, being arranged to abut the inner faces of adjoining flanges 6 of the post and being provided with openings to receive fastening elements 16 such as bolts which extend through openings 8 in the flanges. The bracket elements 15 preferably are connected by a suitable cross-member 18 (Figs. 9 and 10), which is provided with an intermediate opening 19 to receive a fastening element 20. y i

' Preferably the girts and sills are provided with connecting plates 21 which may be provided with end flanges or lips 22 having 'an opening to register with the opening 19 and to receive the fastening member 20. In the vcase of girts the brackets 10 may be disposed bot-h above and below the ends of the same, if desired, as shown in Fig. 2. The girts and sills may be of the same general character, the former preferably differing from the latterfin having a greater depth.

Fig. 1 illustrates more in detail the girt structure which comprises a pair of spaced channels 30 with their bight portions 31 disposed in spaced parallelism and with outstanding legs 32 disposed in twov parallel horizontal planes. A bottom plate 33 is secured to the lower 4flanges 32 and an upper plate 34 is secured to the upper flanges 32 by Lee/9,454

'thus to facilitate connection of the girt with frame elements such as joists and studs. Openings 40 of a diametersubstantially as great as the distance between the bight portions 3120 the channels preferably are provided in,- lates 33 Yand 34 and may also be spaced in the same manner as the openings 39. The plates 33 and .34 may be out away at the ends of the girts and the detachable connecting plates 21 aligned with their ends, Fig. 2, these plates being secured in place by detachable fastenings such as bolts 41 or the like if desired.

Brackets 5() (Fig. 4) may comprise channel portions to engage and support the ends of joists 51 `and may have outturned flanges 52 provided with openings to register with a pair of adjacent openings 39 upon one of the flanges 35 of the girts, suitable fastening members 55 securing the brackets to these flanges. Thus the 'ioists may be supported by the girts and brac /ets 50 andbe located at multiples of the modular distance, i. e.7 multiples of the distances at which the holes 39 are spaced from each other.

The studs 60 are illustrated more particularly in Figs. 1, 6 and 8 and comprise substantially square bottom and top plates 61 which may be provided with openings 62 intermediate their sides to register with a pair of openings 39 at opposite sides of a girt to permit the ready connection of the studs to the girts by fastening elements such as bolts or rivets.

The plates 61 are preferably connected by a pair of vertically ldisposed channel elements 66 which may have their bight portions 67 disposed in spaced parallelism and have their legs 68 extending away from each otherv and provided with outturned flanges 69 parallel to the bight portions 66, thus the responding portion of the girt.

Preferably upon assembly of the frame thel posts and sills are first located and connected to each other. and the girts for suc, ceeding stories may then be connected to the posts, the joists then being located in placeframe, as the studs are connected to the girts.`

more accurately'topositionrthe girts and to reinforce the same.

Wall slabs designated in general by numeral 82 preferably are assembled with the Fig. 7 illustrates in detail the preferred construction of one of the slab members 82 which may comprise an intermediate sheet or plate Y reticulated fibrous strands pressed in heterogeneous crossing arrangement and coated with a thin layer of re and moisture resistant cementitious material such as an oxychloride cement. The irregular reticulated arrangement of the fibrous strands affords a 'large number of air pockets, thereby peri stud channels 66 so that they readily interfitl mitting'excellent heat insulating ability and good sound absorptive qualities. Material of this general character, for example, is more particularly claimed in the copending application of John E. Burchard and Cyrus J. rlaylor, Serial No. 366,752, filed May 28, 1929.

Preferably rectangular wooden frames 84 are secured to each of the 'marginal faces of the plate 80 and cooperate with the edges `of the latter in providing marginal grooves 85. The frames 84 may preferably comprise thin boards which are secured by nailing, bolting or the like to the marginal portions of the insulating sheets or panels. Preferably the outer faces of the frames are spaced at a distance from each other which substantially corresponds to the spacing of the legs 68 of with these channels as shown. Similarly, the diverging flanges 6 upon the post provide suitable recesses at the corners or intersections of walls' for the reception of the edges ofthese panels. Preferably in the assembly of the structural wall one of the' Wall Aslabs 82 is arranged with its frame 84 substantially in engagement with the flanges 6 of a post; then a stud is` brought into engagement with the opposite end-or vertical edge of the slab and secured to the adjoining girts. The next wall slab then has its edge engaged with the opposite channel portion of the first stud and succeling studs and panels are assembled until the wal-l is completed. At the end of the Wall the adjoining edges of two panelsI 82v maybe engaged with a stud 60 that is spaced outwardly from its sound position in the plane of the walk while the remote edges of the slabs are engaged in recesses in a post and another stud. Their adjoining edges are then yforced into the planemof the wall so that the stud then engaging these edges may be The studs 60 may also define openings for windows or doors.

yAfter the slabs 82 are disposed in place, nailing or ground strips 90 (Fig. l) of Wood or the like may be disposed adjoining the upper and lowerframe portions of the slabs being connected throughout by f nailing and/or being connected to the adjoining flanges 69 ofy the stubs by nails or screws, if desired. Nailing or ground strips 83 may be disposed between the ianges 69 of the channels 67 of the studs to dene the inner and outer faces of the structural wall. Preferably the strips 90 and 83 have their outer faces in the same general plane so that they afford a ready basis for the mounting of the outer wall panels, which may comprise Wire or pressed metal lathing to receive stucco or plaster or which may comprise wallboard,

sev

engagement with the studs the latter provide vertically extending recesses which commu nicate with openings 40 in the girts. Preferably cementitious .material is poured into the Ygirts passing downwardly through the openings 40 which register with the vertical recesses in the studs and substantially filling these recesses kywhile passing outwardly through opening 70 into the grooves 85 at the edges of wall slabs 82 and interlocking with the irregularities of the sheets 80 of in sulating material. Furthermore, cementi- 'tious material poured into the girts Will also pass through other openings 40 in its bottom plate to fill the groove 85 at the top of each panel 82, thus aiding in keeping the latter keyed in plate (Fig. ll).

Fig. 3 illustrates a girder 12a which may be similar to a girt and which may be connected thereto by angular brackets 96. of channeldike section arranged to engage the inner faces of the legs of the girt and girder channels 30, and having openings 97 to register with openings 89 in the girts to permit Athe `ready connection of these members. Obviously, the girders may be employed when an intermediate load-bearing member is ar ranged tovsupport one end of a set of joists, and it is not desired to locate a post at the intersection ofthe Walls, such a construction being particularly advantageous, for example when closets or the like are to be provided.

The present invention is particularly adapted to the employment of frame members such as posts, girts, girders, joists, studs and the like which are manufactured with a definite interdimensional relationship, as set forth in my copending application Serial No. 414,056, led December 14, 1929, the openings 39 and 40 being spaced in accordance with the modular dimension which determines the lengths oftheframe members and zoO the openings 7 0 and 71 also being so spaced, if desired.

This arrangement not only permits the frame members to be employed in standardized sizesor lengths, but also permits the wall slabs 82 to be provided in a limited range of sizes and yet to meet substantially all requirements. It is evident that the present invention permits 'the employment of relatively light metal parts which may be rigidly assembled in situ and which are adapted to be reinforced with poured cementitious material. This poured cementitious material also anchors the intermediate slabs 82 in place and cooperates with the body portions 80 of the latter in providing a substantially continuous intermediate protective to define the faces of the structural wall, said `ground strips and channels cooperating to form vertically disposed recesses in the studs, and openings in the bight portions-of said channels, and wall slabs having grooves communicating with said openings, whereby cementitious material may be poured into the recesses in the. studs and thus having a keying engagement with' the grooved edges of the slabs. l

' '2. Ina building construction, studs each "comprising a pair of spaced channel members, wall panels having their edges received by the channel members, the legs of said members having outturned ianges parallel to the bight portion of the channels, ground strips having edges engaging said flanges and being arranged to define the faces of the structural wall, said ground strips. and channels cooperating to Jrorm vertically disposed recesses inthe studs, the wall panels include ing body portions of rough-surfaced material and the bight portions of the channels'having openings permitting cementitious `Inaterial poured into the recess to lowinto interlocking engagement with the irregularities of the edge of saidmaterial.

3. A building construction comprising a horizontal frame member having a horizontal plate with openings therein, said member providing an elongate recess above said plate, a wall slab providing a horizontal groove adjoining said plate, and cementitious ma- 'of saidv frame elements terial poured into said recess and extending through said openings into the groove.

4. A. building construction comprising a horizontal frame member having a horizon-l tal plate with openings therein, said member providing an elongate recess above said plate, a wall slab providing a horizontal groove adjoining said plate, and cementitious material poured into said recess and extend ing through said openings into the groove, said slabhaving a lire-resistant sheet, portion in the plane of the groove.

5. A. building construction comprising hollow frame vmembers outlining a structural wall and formed of fire-resistant material, a wall slab of fire-resistant material, the frame members being disppsed about theperimeter of said slab, and cementitious fire-resistant material poured into said frame members, the walls of said frame members having openings through which the cementitious material extends to contact the slab.

l 6. Building construction comprising spaced frame elements having recesses in their sides, ground strips in said recesses, said strips providing aligned plane surfaces for engagement with paneling, slabs disposed between the frame elements, and .ground members disposed between the ends of ad# joining frame elements, said ground memd bers having` outer faces substantially aligned with the p ne surfaces of the ground strips.

7. Building construction comprising parallel, hollow metal frame elements,i cement fillings in said hollow elements, tire-resistant panels disposed between said elements and engaging the same, therebv providing a wall with a continuous, tire-resistant seal, grounds secured tothe opposite outer sides to support panels in spaced relation to the slabs, whereby air pockets may be provided on opposite si es of the slabs.

8. In a building construction, spaced studs each comprisin a pair of'channel members having flanges efinng vertical recesses, and panel members between said studs with their o posite vertical edges disposed in said vertlcal recesses, said panel members having -grooves along said opposite edges to provide vertically extending recesses for the reception of cementitious material.

9. In a building construction, spaced studs each comprising a pair of spaced channel members having flanges defining vertical recesses, and panel members of 1nsulat1ng material between said studs with their opposite vertical edges disposed in .said vertical re\ cesses, said panel members having edge strips v defining grooves along said opposite edges to provide vertically extending recesses for the reception of cementitious material.

10. In a building construction, spaced studs each comprising a pair oi' channel members having flanges providing vertical recesses,

and wall panels between said studs with their opposite vertical edges disposed in said vertical recesses, said panels having grooves along their opposite edges to provide vertically and horizontally extending recesses for the reception ofcementitious material.

11. A building construction comprising vertical metal frame members disposed in spaced parallelism, said members having oppositely directed flanges defining vertical recesses, lire-resistant wall panels between said .f members -with their opposite vertical edges disposed in said vertical recesses, said anels having grooves along their opposite e ges to 15 provide vertically and horizontallv extending recesses, and cementitious lling disposed ,l .in said vertically and horizontally extending recesses to provide a wall having a substan- 'tiallycontinuous lire-resistant seal'. l y 12. A building construction comprising vertical hollow metal frame members having oppositely directed flanges defining vertical recesses and openings adjacent to said flanges providing a communication between said recesses and the interior of said members, re-

resistant wall panels between said frame members with their opposite vertical edges disposed in said vertical recesses, said panels having grooves along their opposite edges to provideivertically and horizontally extending recesses, and cementitious filling disposed in said hollow frame members, said filling extending through said openings into said vertically and horizontally extending recesses to provide a wall having a substantiallv continuous fire-resistant seal. 13. In a building construction, studs each Acomprising a pair of spaced channel members, said members having flanges defining vertical recesses and openings intermediate said flanges, Ere-resistant wall panels between said studs with their opposite vertical edges disposed in said vertical recesses, said panels having grooves along opposite edges to provide vertically andwhorizontally extending recesses, and cementitious iilling disposed in the spaces between said channel members and extending through said openings therein into saidv vertica ly and horizontally extending recesses, therebv providing a wall having a substantially continuous lire-resistant seal. Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts this Y tenth day of December 1929.

ALERT F. BEMIS. 

